+2.3 on previous index reading
The Bank of Ireland Economic Pulse came in at 83.0 in December 2019. The index, which combines the results of the Consumer and Business Pulses, was up 2.3 on November’s reading but 5.4 lower than a year ago. After last month’s bounce, consumer sentiment moved sideways this month, while business confidence ticked up a little.
The UK was in the midst of a general election campaign as the December survey was being carried out, capping off a year of Brexit-related drama. And even though the domestic economy has performed well, uncertainty has tempered the mood among households and firms, with the Economic Pulse ending 2019 below where it started it.
